16 GUIDE TO TIMBERS OF NIGERIA 



dense, cells not visible with the macroscope. Rings not 

 traceable for the most part, but there are lighter and darker 

 zones ; contour regular. 



Radial section. Colour uniform except as to the white striae 

 due to the grain being filled with a white deposit ; also a little 

 red resin ; there are few empty vessels. Rays, very fine lines 

 rather than flakes, having the appearance of being interrupted 

 by the P. (b). P. (a) prominent as light coloured borders 

 to the vessels. P. (b} just visible as vertical lines. 



Density, No. 2808 HS., 1-034, or about 64} Ib. per cu. ft. 

 3085, 1-042, 65 



3012, 0-92, 57J 



3094, 1-15, 72 



" 1994 HS. 1-04. 65 



Holland gives 1-0208, and Chevalier (for L. procera) I'llO 

 and 1*078. Illustrations of structure. Stone, 1904, PL I, 

 fig. 6, tr. sec. x. 3. Hopkinson, 1912, p. 453, fig. 21, tr. sec. x. 

 about 50. 



SAPWOOD. Unwin, 1920, pp. 357-9, says of L. alata " narrow 

 and white " ; of L. procera, " whitish-red 3 to 4 inches thick 

 in a tree of 12 feet girth." From specimen No. 3094, sap wood 

 greyer and lighter in colour and well defined from the heart- 

 wood, width 4-5 inches ; the linings of the vessels appear to 

 become coloured first. Exterior of the log striated, but nearly 

 smooth. 



BARK. Unwin (I.e. p. 107) says of both species " bark 

 dark and rough " and p. 358 " orange coloured and almost 

 scaly in the younger trees ; changes to grey or black when 

 exposed to light or grass-fires." Chevalier (1909, p. 154) says 

 " bark (of L. procera) smooth, scaling in small superficial 

 plates," and again (1917, p. 105) " of a light chestnut colour 

 scaling in large rather thick plates ; section reddish-yellow ; 

 about 8-12 mm. thick." 



USES, ETC. Unwin (I.e. p. 107) of alata " poles, sleepers ; 

 house-posts ; is termite- proof." Of procera, p. 357, " resists 

 white ants and teredo," and p. 359, " piles, wharves, bridges, 

 pestles, mortars, canoes; its hardness much limits its use." 

 At the Empire Timber Exhibition of 1920 we were informed 

 that this latter species was being exported to India (!) for 

 sleepers. In point of durability and strength, especially as 



